


Casualties of War

by Starofwinter



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Fake Character Death, GFY, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-06
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-05-31 13:51:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6472534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starofwinter/pseuds/Starofwinter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rex checks the casualties list every time the Wolfpack is on a mission.  He didn't know what would happen the day he saw Wolffe's name there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Sir,” Jesse says quietly from Rex’s shoulder, “I know you asked for the casualties list…” Rex knows that tone, and it chills him to his core. Jesse is never that serious, unless-

Rex turns on his heel to look his lieutenant in the eye. He doesn’t want to hear the news Jesse brought, but he needs to know. He has to know. “What is it?” he asks, and Jesse swallows hard, handing over the datapad to let Rex see for himself.

He knew what it would be, but reading it is like a punch in the chest. His heart stutters and skips a beat, and the galaxy narrows to the designation and the status on the screen in front of him: ‘CC-3636 - killed in action.’ He’s barely aware of Jesse’s hand steadying him, or the way the bridge has gone completely silent, all eyes on him. He takes one harsh breath, then a second, easing the tight bands around his chest. “As you were.” His voice is as steady as he can make it, and he squares his shoulders, lifting his chin.

He strides out, already hearing the whispers of the men behind him. He counts the steps until he reaches his small room, his quarters somehow too large and too cramped at the same time as he hits the deck, his back sliding down the door as soon as it shuts. A choked sob escapes his throat and he leans forward until his forehead touches his knees, curling in on himself as he breaks apart beneath the wave of grief that slams into him. He should have been prepared for this. He and Wolffe, they’re soldiers. Any damned day could be their last, but… He can’t breathe again. Had he really been so kriffing stupid as to believe that his love could keep Wolffe alive? He’d imagined a thousand different futures, and in every kriffing one, they’d ended up finding each other after the war, after they were both safe, and living the rest of their lives together. Not this, never this.

Hours pass. He ends up making it to his bunk, reading the words over and over as though they would change if he just reads them one more time. “Fuck, Wolffe, what did you do?” he whispers to empty air. Probably some damn stupid heroic shit, he was always good at that, no matter how much he claims - claimed - to be an asshole. He thinks about Boost and Sinker. They’re probably even more of a mess than he is; the Pack can’t be a Pack without Wolffe. And that, for some reason he will never know, sets him off again.

By the time he ends up breathless and shuddering, he becomes aware of a knock on the door - by the sound of it, they’ve been knocking for a while. “Yeah?” His voice is hoarse and barely audible, and he coughs.

“Open the damn door, Rex, or I’m breaking it down.” Cody, of course it’s Cody. He would have come running as soon as he got back with Kenobi and heard the news. _Gods all, he sounds pissed_ , Rex thinks distantly, and he finally drags himself off the bunk to palm open the door. He’s aware of being wrapped in plastoid-covered arms and a body that smells like ozone and blaster oil before he even knows Cody is in the room with him. “Shit, vod. Come here. He’s okay. He’s- He’s not fine, but some kriffing di’kut put his name on the casualties, Ventress took his eye, it’s gonna leave a scar, but he’s alright.”

And just like that, he can’t breathe again, though this time he’s not sure if he’s crying or laughing. He feels like he’s floating, giddy with relief. _He’s alright_.  He’s going to kriffing kill whatever idiot put Wolffe’s name on the list, but right now, all he can think is that they have another chance. It feels like hope.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "Is that my shirt?"

“Is that my shirt?” Wolffe asked as he squinted at Rex - he didn’t need to; thanks to the cybernetic, he could see damned well that it  _ was _ his sweater, a castoff from one of the concerned Coruscant civilians, worn soft from how long he’d had it.  It’d gone missing a while before, and he’d wondered where it had disappeared to.  Clearly, it hadn’t wandered off on its own.  Rex looked up with eyes clearly still rimmed with red.   _ Oh hells _ .  Wolffe sighed and walked over, brushing calloused fingers over his cheekbone.  “Gonna kriffing kill whatever shiny they had on comms.  Look at me, kar’ta, I’m still here, good as new.  Better than.”  The attempt at a joke fell flat as Rex stood and wrapped his arms around him in a movement that nearly knocked the breath out of Wolffe.  He closed his eyes, pressing his lips to Rex’s temple.  “I’m here.  I’m here, Rex.  It’s alright.”

Rex swallowed hard, and Wolffe could hear a soft whine as his breath hitched.  “I know.  I know,” he said finally, “But I thought- for a little while- it  _ wasn’t. _ ”   His fingers tightened on his shoulders and he crumbled against him.  “Fuck, Wolffe, I thought I lost you.  I thought-”  Wolffe buried his fingers in the soft fabric of the sweater and pulled Rex closer.  

“I know, it’s alright,” he whispered, his own voice going hoarse, “It’s over.  It’s all over now, and I’ve got you.”  Their eyes met as Rex pulled back, holding his face for a moment, memorizing the scar and cybernetic before he pulled him in for a desperate kiss that bordered on painful.  

A few more hungry kisses later, Rex finally pulled back to catch his breath.  He still looked pale and drawn, but there was the start of a smile on his lips.  “It still smells like you,” he confessed, looking down at the shirt, “I needed that, after-”  His smile faded for a moment before returning, a little stronger than it had been.  “Everything.  Sounds silly, now that I say it out loud, but hells - I was so damn scared, ka’ra.”

 “I know,” Wolffe said again, gathering Rex in his arms again.  He wasn’t normally one for such open affection, but his partner needed him, and there was nothing - included coming back from the dead, it seemed - that he wouldn’t do for Rex.  Well, except…  “I’m gonna need that shirt back, you know.”  He chuckled when Rex huffed a laugh and the tension bled out of his muscles.

“Tell you what; we’ll trade.  I like seeing you in my clothes anyway," his smirk was wicked as he looked up at Wolffe through his lashes as he continued, “Like seeing you out of them just as much.”  He pulled Wolffe into another kiss, laughing at his playful growl.


End file.
